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Hurricane Michael - Emergency Order

The Department of Children and Families, Office of Child Care Regulation, has issued an Emergency Order to assist providers in reopening and relocating after Hurricane Michael. The Emergency Order allows the Department to waive certain child care standards. At a minimum all child care providers must have power and water to operate. The Emergency Order is limited to the following counties: Bay, Calhoun, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Liberty, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington. If you are a child care provider in an affected county, please contact your local licensing office to start the process of becoming operational.

-Posted 10/30/2018 (updated 11/5/2018)-

Updated Juvenile Record Check Process

In an effort to reduce the amount of time it takes to request certified State of Florida criminal history juvenile record checks, FDLE has launched a public portal to facilitate the electronic submission of requests for certified State of Florida criminal history record checks. Effective July 2, 2018, family child care home providers in need of juvenile checks to be reviewed by DCF will be able to submit electronic requests to FDLE via a public portal. Linked below are instructions (screenshots) of the new screening process for all individuals ages 12 through 17, residing in a family day care home.

-Posted 08/08/2018-

65C-20, F.A.C. - Rule Development Workshops

The Department of Children and Families, Office of Child Care Regulation, will be conducting public workshops regarding rule development of the Family Day Care Home and Large Family Child Care Home standards to amend Chapter 65C-20 Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). The public workshop setting is an opportunity for the Department to receive comments from providers, community partners, coalition staff, stakeholders, and the general public related to the rule development. Please share this information with those agencies, providers, and provider organizations in your area that have an interest/investment in this issue. The in-person meetings are open to the public and do not require a reservation. If you choose to participate in the webinar, please register using the link provided (space is limited). Workshop A: Date and Time: Friday, July 27, 2018 5:30 – 7:00 PM EST, or at the conclusion of business, whichever is earlier. Location: Department of Children and Families, 1000 W. Tharpe Street, Tallahassee, FL 32303

The rule language and incorporated documents are attached for your review. Please review and be prepared to discuss any suggestions or concerns you may have. If you are unable to participate in one of the scheduled workshops, you may submit your written comments/suggestions to HQW.Child.Care.Licensing@myflfamilies.com by August 27, 2018. If you have any questions, please contact the Policy Unit at (850) 488-4900.

-Posted 07/25/2018-

Child Care Facility 65C-22, F.A.C. - Rule Development Workshops

The Department of Children and Families, Office of Child Care Regulation, will be conducting public workshops regarding rule development of the Child Care Facility standards to amend Chapter 65C-22 Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). The public workshop setting is an opportunity for the Department to receive comments from providers, community partners, coalition staff, stakeholders, and the general public related to the rule development. Please share this information with those agencies, providers, and provider organizations in your area that have an interest/investment in this issue. The in-person meetings are open to the public and do not require a reservation. If you choose to participate in the webinar, please register using the link provided (space is limited).

The rule language and incorporated documents are attached for your review. Please review and be prepared to discuss any suggestions or concerns you may have. If you are unable to participate in one of the scheduled workshops, you may submit your written comments/suggestions to HQW.Child.Care.Licensing@myflfamilies.com by August 27, 2018. If you have any questions, please contact the Policy Unit at (850) 488-4900.

This webinar will include a review of the new rule and incorporated documents; including detailed discussion on new standards and suggested ways home providers can achieve and maintain compliance.

-Posted 01/16/2018-

Child Care Standards Rule Change Effective October 25, 2017

The Department of Children and Families, Office of Child Care Regulation has completed the rule promulgation process for Child Care Standards, Chapter 65C-22, Florida Administrative Code and for Family Day Care Home and Large Family Child Care Home Standards, Chapter 65C-20, Florida Administrative Code. The new rule language will be adopted and becomes effective on October 25, 2017. Thank you to those of you who participated and contributed during this process.

The documents that are incorporated by reference may be obtained from the Forms and Applications tab of the Office of Child Care Regulation website.

-Posted 10/31/2017-

Helping Your Child After a Natural Disaster

This three-page booklet educates parents and caregivers about how to help a child after a natural disaster. It discusses ways adults can provide support for children, and help then feel safe and secure, such as sticking to daily routines, being a good listener, understanding the child's behavior, helping the child express their thoughts and feelings, and connecting with community support.

Precautions for Food Safety

This one-page fact sheet educates people about food safety in an emergency such as a hurricane. Risk of food poisoning is high when refrigerators and ovens are inoperable during an electrical outage. The document lists safe food handling practices to prevent food-borne illness. Links and telephone numbers for food safety and emergency information are provided.

Frequently Asked Questions: Boil Water Advisories

This two-page fact sheet educates people about boil water advisories. It identifies boiling water as the best method to kill harmful bacteria and parasites in contaminated water. It discusses correct techniques for handwashing, washing dishes and clothes, bathing and shaving, washing fruits and vegetables, and making ice. It identifies infectious organisms in contaminated water, and advises when to seek medical attention if untreated water is consumed.

Mold in Water-Damaged Buildings

This one-page fact sheet educates people about how to protect against health risks associated with mold after flooding or hurricane. It provides a list of safety precautions to avoid indoor air quality problems after a storm. Florida Department of Health contact information is provided.

Public Hearing for Proposed Rule Changes

The embedded videos below are recordings of public hearings done via webinar for proposed rule changes to Chapter 65C-20 and Chapter 65C-22.

Chapter 65C-20

Chapter 65C-22

-Posted 8/4/2017-

Background Screening Webinar

The embedded video is a recording of a provider-focused background screening webinar. Topics covered range from how to initiate a screening in the Clearinghouse to common reasons why one employee screening may take longer than others. Please view the FAQs for answers to frequently asked questions pertaining to the Clearinghouse and the background screening process.

-Posted 7/10/2017-

Notice of Proposed Rule for 65C-20, F.A.C. Family Day Care Home and Large Family Child Care Home

The Department of Children and Families, Office of Child Care Regulation filed a Notice of Proposed Rule for Chapter 65C-20, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) regarding Family Day Care Home and Large Family Child Care Home Standards on June 21, 2017 in the Florida Administrative Weekly (FAW). A copy of the rule language and incorporated documents may be obtained below.

If a written request for a hearing is received by the department within 21 days of the notification in the FAW, the department will host a public hearing via webinar on July 13, 2017 5:30PM -7:00PM EST, or the conclusion of business, whichever is earlier. To register for the webinar please click on the following link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1526198389136462594.

Please be advised that registering for this webinar does not constitute a request for public hearing. The webinar will only be held if requested.

Notice of Proposed Rule 65C-22, F.A.C. Child Care Facility

The Department of Children and Families, Office of Child Care Regulation filed a Notice of Proposed Rule for Chapter 65C-22, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) regarding Child Care Facility Standards on June 21, 2017 in the Florida Administrative Weekly (FAW). A copy of the rule language and incorporated documents may be obtained here.

If a written request for a hearing is received by the department within 21 days of the notification in the FAW, the department will host a public hearing via webinar on July 13, 2017 12:30PM -2:00PM EST or the conclusion of business, whichever is earlier. To register for the webinar please click on the following link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2067505555676704002.

Please be advised that registering for this webinar does not constitute a request for public hearing. The webinar will only be held if requested.

Food Service Provider Information

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) regulates food service providers. You can review inspection results of these providers at DBPR’s website (http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/). (If you cannot locate your provider’s company, the Division recommends you contact your provider for the appropriate business name.) The site also includes a variety of other helpful information and a Customer Contact Number (850-487-1395) for any questions. You can also find a link to the inspection results on our “Other Programs and Services" page.

-Posted 11/16/2016-

Updated Background Screening Process

“To comply with new federal and state requirements, the department has revised the background screening process for individuals who have resided outside of Florida at some point in the last five years. Below is a summary of the new process, which authorizes provisional hiring based on certain criteria.

As always, we greatly appreciate your continued patience and cooperation as we incorporate this additional layer of protection for the health and safety of our children. The department will continue to coordinate with our federal and local partners as we streamline the process for out of state checks.

Department staff are available to answer questions or assist with Clearinghouse access and account set up. For direct assistance, please contact Background Screening Help Desk at 1-888-352-2842 or send an email to background screening unit at this link.

Updated Background Screening Process Instructions for Child Care Owner/Operator/Employers are outlined below. More details and links to instructions for each step are available online at www.myflfamilies.com/backgroundscreening.

Complete a search for the individual in the Background Screening Clearinghouse.

Check employment history with each employer for whom the individual has worked in the last five years. Try at least three times to contact the employer, and keep records of these contacts for your files.

Pending Results from Out-of-State Records – While you are waiting for the out of state results, if the individual meets the Florida Level 2 screening requirements, DCF may grant provisional hiring status for 45 days while the out-of-state check is pending. During provisional employment, the individual must be in the line of sight of an employee who has already met all screening/training requirements.

DCF’s Background Screening Unit will issue an eligible or non-eligible result for employment through the Clearinghouse upon completion of searches and results from other states, if applicable.

Note: Keep a copy, on-site at the child care program, of documentation of all elements in the process in the individual’s personnel file for review by the licensing authority.”

-Posted 10/11/2016-

New Online Training Courses Available

The Department of Children and Families, Office of Child Care Regulation is offering 3 new courses: Safe Sleep Practices, Guide to School-Age Program Quality Standards and Self-Assessment, and Child Growth and Development.

Safe Sleep Practices (SAFE) is a 1-hr online course for caregivers to become familiar with safe sleep-related practices for infants and toddlers. This course provides an overview of appropriate methods, tips, and requirements for ensuring infants and toddlers are safe while they sleep, and be less likely to experience injury or death as a result of unsafe sleeping practices.

Guide to School-Age Program Quality Standards and Self-Assessment (SALT) is a 12-hr online course which is a combination of two courses: The 8-hr Standards for Quality Afterschool Programs (SQAP), and the 4-hr Quality Self-Assessment and Improvement for Afterschool Programs (QSAI), of which the content of the two individual courses have not changed. What is different is individuals will now register for a single course and upon completion of both courses (SQAP and QSAI) will have access to a single CEU assessment and competency exam.

Child Growth and Development (CGDR) is a 6-hr course offered on-line or as instructor-led. The CGDR course describes basic principles of child growth and development, and developmentally appropriate practices. Individuals that have completed the Child Growth and Development (CGAD) course prior to July 5, 2016 will have until March 31, 2017 to register for the competency exam. Individuals that completed the Child Growth and Development (CGD or CGAD) course to meet the Part I or Family Child Care Home training requirements do not have to retake the course. Individuals may choose to take the new course (CGDR) to earn CEUs or in-service credit.

Upcoming Provider Meetings

The Provider Meeting Presentation is currently being updated and will be available to the public soon.

Each region will be hosting a provider meeting to discuss recent federal changes to Child Care regulations and Background Screening requirements. You will find each scheduled meeting further down this page with the same title.

A Notice of Proposed Rule for the Florida Office of Early Learning’s School Readiness Program, Rule 6M-4.620 - Health and Safety Checklists and Inspections, was noticed in the Florida Administrative Weekly on July 8, 2016. A public hearing, if requested in writing within 21 days of the notice of proposed rule, will be held via webinar on Monday, August 1, 2016 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., EDT, or until business is concluded, whichever is earlier.

NEW LAW CHANGES REGARDING BACKGROUND SCREENING EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2016

Dear Child Care Provider:

On November 19, 2014, the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 was signed into law. The new law prescribes health and safety requirements that include changes to background screening requirements that apply to all child care providers and requires more information be available to parents and the general public about child care choices. The new federal requirements required changes to Florida law governing screening for child care employment. Beginning July 1, 2016, new elements will be included in a background screening for all child care personnel, which include searches of the National Sex Offender Registry, state criminal records, state sex offender registries, and child abuse and neglect registries of all states in which the child care personnel resided during the preceding five years.

Action steps are being updated and will be available shortly.

-Posted 07/01/2016

Deadly Danger: Infants on Air Mattresses

CPSC has received reports of 40 infant suffocation deaths in the last five years, of infants who were placed to sleep on air mattresses. Infants can suffocate on an air mattress or can become entrapped between the mattress and bed frame or mattress and wall. Never place infants to sleep on air mattresses or other soft surfaces (such as water beds and adult beds), which are not specifically designed or safe for infant use. Even properly-inflated air mattresses are usually too soft for infants to maintain a clear airway. For a safer space for baby use a crib or play yard that has a firm, tight-fitting mattress and tight fitting bottom sheet without any blankets, bumpers, pillows or stuffed animals.

Never place infants ages 15 months old and younger to sleep on an inflatable air mattress

Always place baby to sleep on his or her back in a crib or play yard that meets current standards

The Deadly Danger Air Mattress poster is easy to download and print, email or post for sharing with those you care about.

Find more tips and free materials to help people in your community become informed at our NSN website.

As always, thanks for spreading the word and helping to make your community safer.

Feedback We would love to hear from you. Let us know how you use the information we send out and give us an estimate of the number of people to whom you distribute our safety messages. We also welcome ideas on how to serve you better. Please send your ideas, success stories or questions to nsn@cpsc.gov.

Safety in Numbers Thanks to members like you sharing the safety tips and resources included in these messages, communities are being empowered with the knowledge to keep families safe. Please continue to encourage people and organizations with similar safety concerns to sign up at https://www.cpsc.gov/en/Safety-Education/Neighborhood-Safety-Network/NSN-Signup-Form/ to receive Neighborhood Safety Network messages that put the power of product safety information in their hands.

-Posted 06/20/2016

Broward County Child Care Providers

New Child Care Law Changes

On November 19, 2014, the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 was signed into law. The new law prescribes health and safety requirements that apply to school readiness program providers and requires that more information be available to parents and the general public about child care choices.

The federal government works with states to support low-income working families by providing access to child care through the federal CCDBG. Florida uses CCDBG funds for its school readiness program. The school readiness program provides subsidies for child care services and early childhood education for children of low-income families, children in protective services who are at risk of abuse, neglect, or abandonment, and children with disabilities. Families use these subsidies to purchase child care services from school readiness providers. In many cases, these child care facilities are regulated by the Department of Children and Families’ Child Care program. The state must implement these requirements to continue receiving CCDBG funding.[1]

While Florida’s school readiness programs meet many of the new federal requirements, some changes to Florida law governing the program were necessary. One change needed was an increase in the elements for screening all child care personnel to include searches of the National Sex Offender Registry, state criminal records, state sex offender registries, and child abuse and neglect registries of all states in which the child care personnel resided during the preceding five years.

During the 2016 Florida legislative session, laws were amended to assist with the implementation of newly prescribed federal law. Below are two laws that have an impact on child care programs:

HB 1125 Relating to Eligibility for Employment as Child Care Personnel: This bill amended section 435.07, Florida Statutes, (HB 1125 – Chapter 2016-98, Laws of Florida), to make the new CCDBG background screening requirements apply to all child care personnel regardless of whether their employer receives federal CCDBG funding. The bill prohibits the Department of Children and Families from granting exemptions for employment as child care personnel to persons who have been:

Registered as a sex offender as described in 42 U.S.C. s. 9858f(c)(1)(C) and are subject to the registration requirements under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act; or

Arrested for and are awaiting final disposition of, found guilty of, regardless of adjudication, or entered a plea of nolo contendere or guilty to, or have been adjudicated delinquent and the record has not been sealed or expunged, for certain state felonies and misdemeanors enumerated in the bill that are aligned with the crimes listed in the federal requirements.[2]

HB 7053 Relating to Child Care and Development Block Grant Program: This bill requires that school readiness program providers must meet a minimum level of health and safety and receive at least one annual inspection. The Department of Children and Families and/or the local licensing agency, as applicable, will conduct inspections to determine compliance with the school readiness program provider standards through exercise of their discretionary power to enforce compliance with the laws. The authority to inspect includes access to facilities, personnel, and records. A school readiness program provider that refuses entry or inspection shall have its provider contract terminated. School readiness providers must: provide more information to the public to promote informed child care choices; provide training on child care development research and best practices and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training; provide an appropriate group size as well as an appropriate staff-to-child ratio; and employ child care personnel who have satisfied the screening requirements of Chapter 402, Florida Statutes, and fulfilled the training requirements of the Office of Early Learning.[3]

If you have any questions on the new law changes, you may contact your local licensing office.

[1] CS/CS/CS/HB 1125 2016 House of Representative Final Bill Analysis, March 25, 2016[2] CS/CS/CS/HB 1125 2016 House of Representative Final Bill Analysis, March 25, 2016 [3] CS/ HB 7053, 2016 House of Representatives Final Bill Analysis, March 24, 2016

-Posted 05/12/2016

FFCCHA 24th Annual Conference

Rule Workshops

The Department of Children and Families, Office of Child Care Regulation, will be conducting two public workshops regarding rule development of School-Age Child Care standards to amend Chapter 65C-22 Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). The public workshop setting is an opportunity for the Department to receive comments from providers, community partners, coalition staff, stakeholders, and the general public related to the rule development. Please share this information with those agencies, providers, and provider organizations in your area that have an interest/investment in this issue.

Workshop A February 17, 2016 1:00pm - 3:00pm ET or until business is concluded, whichever is earlier Florida State College at Jacksonville (Downtown Campus) 101 West State Street RoomA1068 Large Auditorium Jacksonville, Florida 32202

28th Annual Early Childhood Conference

The College of Central Florida and Early Learning Coalition of Marion County present the 28th Annual Early Childhood Conference. See this flyer for more details.

-Posted 12/18/2015

The Benefits of Monitoring Child Care Providers

The Administration for Children and Families describes how new monitoring requirements of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 will benefit children, parents and child care providers.

New Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) Courses available August 17, 2015

Gold Seal Rule Change Effective July 7, 2015

The Department of Children and Families, Office of Child Care Regulation has completed the rule promulgation process for the Gold Seal Quality Care program. The new rule language becomes effective on July 7, 2015. Thank you to those of you who participated and contributed during this process.

Pre-registration for the Background Screening Clearinghouse Results Portal is now available for the following provider group(s):

Child Care Facilities

Foster Care

Family Child Care Homes

Child Placing and Residential Agencies

Substance Abuse (Adults Only)

Religious Exempt Providers

Afterschool and/or Enrichment Programs

Chapter 39 Contract Providers

The Clearinghouse will provide for the sharing of criminal history information among the Agency for Health Care Administration, the Department of Children and Families, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, the Department of Elder Affairs, the Department of Health, the Department of Juvenile Justice and Vocational Rehabilitation.

Persons with a Clearinghouse Screening will not be required to be re-fingerprinted

Screening information for new hires previously screened through the Clearinghouse will be available to providers

A photograph of the person being fingerprinted will be submitted with the screening

The retention of fingerprints by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; this will allow providers to receive notification if an employee is arrested in the State of Florida and provide protection for the vulnerable populations we serve

Providers can track the status of screenings that they initiate until completion

DCF and AHCA (the agency that houses and maintains the Clearinghouse) strongly encourage DCF providers to PRE-REGISTER starting June 19, 2015.

Important Note: DCF will finalize your registration for the Clearinghouse Results Portal after July 6, 2015. You will receive an email when your registration is complete with a link to the Clearinghouse Results Portal and training materials.

You may begin using the Clearinghouse Results Portal to search for applicants, initiate screenings, and check eligibility determinations when you receive the registration approval email.

-Posted 07/02/2015

Summer BreakSpot Provides Florida Kids Healthy Meals All Summer Long

Visit the Fresh From Florida website and find a Summer BreakSpot near you. Free breakfasts, lunches and snacks are available to anyone age 18 and under all summer long.

-Posted 06/05/2015

Background Screening Requirements for Membership Organizations

BEGINNING JULY 1, 2015 - BACKGROUND SCREENING WILL BE REQUIRED FOR PERSONNEL OF MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATIONS:

Governor Scott signed into law SB 7078 Relating to Child Welfare. This bill authorizes critical incident rapid response teams to review cases of child deaths occurring during an open investigation; requires case staffing when medical neglect is substantiated; requires an epidemiological child abuse death assessment and prevention system; provides intent for the operation of and interaction between the state and local death review committees, etc.

The bill also amends s. 402.301, F.S., regarding all personnel of membership organizations affiliated with national organizations to meet Level 2 background screening requirements and s. 402.302(3), F.S., regarding the definition of child care personnel to include “membership organizations” for the purpose of background screening requirements.

Notice of Change Notification - Gold Seal Quality Care Program

This is notification that the Department of Children and Family Services, Office of Child Care Regulation has published a notice of change to 65C-22.009 and 65C-20.014, F.A.C. pertaining to Gold Seal Quality Care Programs. The Department previously published proposed rule for the Gold Seal program in the Florida Administrative Registry on December 22, 2014. The Department hosted a public hearing on January 23, 2015 and received feedback and suggestions from the community, accrediting agencies, and providers. The Department has also received comment from the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee (JAPC). For the current publication, the rule language and supporting documents have been edited based on these suggestions and feedback.

Measles Educational Information

Lately, with national news outlets reporting an ongoing multistate Measles outbreak, it is very important to stay educated and informed on what is known about this highly infectious disease. Though currently there have been no confirmed reports of Measles among Florida Residents the following link provides information and the latest updates regarding Measles from the Florida Department of Health.

-Posted 02/19/2015

Public Hearing Summary - Gold Seal

The Department hosted a public hearing on January 23, 2015 pertaining to the Gold Seal Quality Care Program. The session was well attended and generated many comments and questions. A summary has been prepared that includes comments received during the hearing and via email. View the summary.

Notice of Proposed Rule - Gold Seal

This is notification that the Department of Children and Family Services, Office of Child Care Regulation has published proposed rule changes to 65C-22.009 and 65C-20.014, F.A.C. pertaining to Gold Seal Quality Care Programs. The Department previously published proposed rule for the Gold Seal program in the Florida Administrative Registry on August 7, 2014. For the current publication, the rule has been edited based on previous feedback and suggestions received by the Department from the community, providers, and the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee (JAPC).

The proposed rule language and supporting documents are attached for your review.

What Early Care and Education Providers and Families Should Know About Enterovirus D68

The Administration for Children and Families has received questions from Head Start and child care programs about recent news reports of Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) spreading across the country. Infecting about 10 to 15 million Americans each year, enteroviruses are very common, especially during the summer and fall months. Infants and children are more susceptible to infection due to developing immune systems and the lack of prior exposure to viruses. Pregnant women also have a greater chance of being infected but will only develop mild or no symptoms. In fact, most people who acquire enteroviruses do not get sick. However, EV-D68 can cause mild-to-severe respiratory illness. Children with asthma could have a higher risk for severe respiratory illness caused by EV-D68 infection.

Similar to the common cold, mild symptoms can include fever, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, and body and muscle aches. Severe symptoms can include wheezing and difficulty in breathing. Some individuals could develop heart or brain infections or even become paralyzed.

You can get infected with enteroviruses by having close contact with an infected person who coughs or sneezes. You can also get infected by touching objects or surfaces that have the virus on them and then by touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.

Currently, there is no specific treatment, antiviral medication, or vaccine for people with respiratory illness caused by EV-D68. For mild respiratory illness, symptoms can be relieved with over-the-counter medications for pain and fever, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Aspirin should not be given to children. Individuals with severe respiratory illness might need to be hospitalized.

You can help prevent yourself from getting and spreading EV-D68 and other respiratory illnesses by following these steps.

Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact, such as kissing, hugging, and sharing cups or eating utensils, with people who are sick.

Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or shirt sleeve, not your hands.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs.

Used to assess the need for your program to be licensed as a “Child Care Facility,” as required under S. 402.302(1), Florida Statutes.

-Posted 09/19/2014

Announcement

Are you considering providing child care services and not sure if your program needs to be licensed to operate. The Department of Children and Families Office of Child Care Regulation is statutorily responsible for the administration of child care licensing and training throughout Florida. The purpose of this program is to ensure that children are well cared for in a safe, healthy, positive and educational environment by trained, qualified child care staff. This program currently regulates licensed child care facilities, licensed family day care homes, licensed large family child care homes, and licensed mildly ill facilities in 62 of the 67 counties in Florida. In addition, the Office of Child Care Regulation administers the registration of family day care homes not required to be licensed. In order to assess the need for your program to be licensed as a “Child Care Facility,” as required under S. 402.302(1), Florida Statutes, please complete these questions and mail to the address listed on the survey. This questionnaire will be reviewed by the Department and you will be contacted by the Office of Child Care Regulation and Background Screening office as soon as possible.

Individuals who have successfully completed the current 6-hour Behavioral Observation and Screening (BOAS) course or the old 10-hour Behavioral Observation and Screening course (BOS) do not have to retake the courses. The certificates reflecting completion of the previous courses will continue to appear on the child care training transcript. However, individuals who have already received credit for the old courses may choose to take the new course to earn in-service credit and Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

To make sure students who complete the current Behavior Observation and Screening (BOAS) course are not penalized because of the release of the new course, they will have until June 30, 2015 to pass the exam associated with the BOAS course.

Please contact the Child Care Training Information Center, toll-free, at 1-888-352-2842 if you have any questions.

Office of Child Care Regulation

-Posted 06/06/2014-

Child Abuse Reporting Available Online

Download the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Child Abuse Hotline web button to post on your web site or use in other projects. (Right click the image, select "save picture as" to save to your location.)

To maintain a Florida Director Credential, every (5) years a candidate must complete the renewal application and provide documentation of the following up to one (1) year prior to the end of the active period of the current credential:

4.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUS) or three (3) college credit hours in any one (1) of the approved curriculum areas within the last five (5) years, based on the date the application for renewal is received.

Candidates must demonstrate professional contributions in the child care field.